The 2023-24 NHL regular season is in its final week starting Monday, April 15. Most teams have a few games left on the schedule and will the standings tight, we should still see a lot of movement in terms of seeding in the bracket and wild card teams. Below we’re going to examine each conference and how the playoff picture is taking shape.
2024 NHL Standings: Playoff Picture
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
Wild Card
*Note: Top two teams in WC standings advance to playoffs.
Update, April 16 — The Rangers clinched the Presidents’ Trophy with a win over the Sens on Monday night. New York will await the second Wild Card, which will be decided in the final few games of the regular season. The Caps control their destiny and get in with a win. If Philly defeats Washington, the Red Wings or Penguins can get into the postseason. Detroit faces the Canadiens again after an OT win over Montreal on Monday. The Pens face the Islanders, who are locked into third place and a first-round matchup vs. the Hurricanes in the playoffs.
The Rangers can clinch the Presidents’ Trophy with a win over the Ottawa Senators in their final game of the regular season. If the Rangers lose in regulation and the Hurricanes defeat the Blue Jackets, Carolina would jump New York for first place in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference. That would alter the first-round matchups. The Rangers would face the second Wild Card team out of the East if they secure the top seed. That could be any of these teams — Islanders, Capitals, Red Wings, Flyers or Penguins.
The Islanders game vs. the Devils on Monday night is perhaps the biggest. If New York loses in regulation, third place in the Metro becomes more wide open. The Islanders would then be in danger of falling out of the playoffs altogether with a regulation loss to Pittsburgh in the final game of the regular season. Getting at least a point vs. New Jersey would give the Isles a very good chance of making the playoffs in some capacity.
The Caps own the tiebreaker over Detroit and Philly going into play Monday. Washington has a tough task against Boston on Monday. The Bruins are one point clear of Florida for first place in the Atlantic. If the Bruins win, they secure the division and a likely meeting with the Lightning in the first round. If the Panthers jump Boston it means facing the Maple Leafs in the first round. Both Toronto and Tampa Bay are tough first-round opponents. The Bruins have done better vs. the Leafs this season compared to the Bolts. It’ll be interesting to see if that factors into how they finish the season at all.
The Flyers only have one game this week and it’s a big one vs. Washington. That could decide the final Wild Card spot in the East. Detroit needs the Capitals to lose at least one game in regulation of their remaining two. If the Flyers lose to the Caps, they’re done. The Red Wings have a home and home with the Canadiens. Winning both those games with Washington losing to Boston would put Detroit in position to take the second WC spot. Pittsburgh faces Nashville before that crucial matchup vs. the Islanders on Wednesday.
Western Conference
Central Division
Pacific Division
Wild Card
Update, April 16 — The Oilers will have their shot at the Canucks and first place in the Pacific. A pair of wins and one Canucks loss in regulation means Edmonton would steal first place and the second overall seed in the West. That would mean the Oilers face the Preds in the first round rather than potentially the Kings or defending champion Golden Knights. The Jets take on the Canucks and Kraken at home to finish the season and should seal up second place in the Central. But that still means a matchup with the Avs is looming.
The Preds wrap up their season with the Penguins on Monday night. A win for Nashville means clinching the first Wild Card spot and a likely matchup vs. the Canucks in the first round. The Oilers are five points off the Canucks for first place in the Pacific Division. Edmonton still has a possible six points to grab, so there’s an outside shot the Oilers take first place. The Oilers can’t drop to third place in the Pacific, five points clear of the Kings with two to play. The Golden Knights can jump the Kings for third place and face the Oilers in the first round. If Vegas stays in the second WC spot they’d likely have to go through top seed Dallas in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Final.
In the Central, the Stars have an outside shot at the Presidents’ Trophy if the Rangers and Hurricanes lose in regulation to wrap the season. The Hurricanes can also lose in OT/SO so long as Dallas picks up a win in its regular-season finale. The Preds can’t jump the Avs for third place in the Central. So the Avs and Jets are playing for home ice the final few games. Colorado wraps its season vs. Edmonton. One win and Winnipeg gets home ice over the Avs in the first round. The Jets are hot going into Monday on a six-game winning streak. The Avs haven’t been playing great hockey down the stretch but also may have taken the foot off the gas after clinching a spot.
